Thanks to the body lift, I was able to get rid of my saggy skin after losing 9-and-a-half stone

It is one of the most drastic and, some might say, barbaric cosmetic operations: the body lift.

Used to tackle the legacy of dramatic weight loss – the unsightly apron of flesh left behind after skin has stretched to accommodate fat – the four-hour procedure involves virtually cutting the patient’s body in half to remove the unwanted tissue and tighten the underlying muscles, before stitching it back together.